Inside Game: Ending & Real Meaning Explained

's ending is one of the most confounding conclusions to a game in recent memory, which can make the story feel unsatisfying or even incomplete — but with a little bit of additional insight, perplexed onlookers can find meaning in the final sequence. Getting to the end of Playdead's puzzle platformer is challenging in and of itself; after all, it'll require problem-solving with little to no help, aside from the occasional guidance of a spotlight. Despite all the trouble it puts players through, the end result seems, on the surface, like nothing but oddity and vagueness.

Fortunately, a deeper meaning can be found upon closer analysis of 's ending and story. Toward the end of Inside, the unnamed protagonist finds himself absorbed into a creature known as the Huddle, the disturbing result of scientific experimentation and seemingly composed of human limbs, and tasked with escaping the containment facility. Only adding to the confusion is 's abrupt ending. The unexpected conclusion, combined with the loss of individual autonomy and general grotesqueness, has left many (understandably) wondering what the ending actually means.

While much of the game is up for interpretation, one of the prevailing theories for the game's ending is that the protagonist was actually being controlled by the Huddle throughout the game, which only wanted to break free to escape further experimentation. Once the Huddle has taken over the boy, they break out of the containment facility and tumble down a hill. They roll towards the sea, which represents boundless freedom for the Huddle, which has been suspended in a tank for its entire life. But they stop just short, the Huddle reaching futilely outward with a single arm.

is considered, by both developers and fans, to be the successor to Playdead's previous game,. has a similar visual style, barebones (but meaningful) plot, and cryptic ending.

Considering that the boy broke into a fortified facility and knew exactly where to go in order to